Medicine-chest



2 Sheets-Sheet i.

(No Model.)

T.J.HUTTON MEDICINE CHEST.

Patented Oct. 5, 1886.

IN VENTOR WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 5 7 2 SheetsSheet 2.

T. J. HUTTON.

MEDICINE 0HEST. N0. 350,251. Patented Oct. 5, 1886.

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TERRY J. BUTTON, OF FERGUS FALLS, MINNESOTA.

MEDICINE-CHEST.

C GA O forming part of Letters Patent No, 350,251, dated October 5, 1886. Application filed April 2, 1886. Serial No.197,549. No model.)

To all whom) it may concern:

Be it known that I, TERRY J. HUTTON,

of Fergus Falls, in the county of Otter Tail 7 description.

This invention consists in a peculiarly partitioned and constructed medieinechest of a flat shape composed, mainly, of upper and lower chest-sections hinged together and provided with various conveniences, substantially as hereinafter shown and described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a View in perspective of my improved medicine-chest when closed and locked. Fig. 2 is a face view of the chest.

when opened, but showing the upper section as closed by a special lid and parts being broken out. Fig. 3 is 'a further face view of the open chest with the lid of the upper section thrown back and supported in an inclined position, for a purpose hereinafter specified. Fig. 4 is an end view with the parts in the same position as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, upon a larger scale, of a section or piece'of a peculiarly-struckup metal strip for holding the lower ends of the vials in position; and Fig. 6, a vertical section of the front end part of the chest when closed in illustration of the peculiar fastening used to lock or keep it closed.

The chest, which, when closed, forms a case of fiat rectangular shape, and is composed of an upper main section, A, and lower main section, B, hinged together at their one end, as at b, may be made of wood or other suitable material and of any desired size. The lower main section, B, is principally divided into two longitudinal vial-holding compartments,

0 0, arranged one above the other, and a central compartment, D, which projects up into the compartment 0, .whereby vials of equal length may be arranged within the compartment 0 on each side of the compartment D, and shorter vials over or above the compartmentD, while thelower compartment, 0, may be of a size to hold vials of still another or greater length. In this way the section B of the chest is made to hold vials of several assorted lengths or depths. The necks or upper portions of these vials rest within scooped-out spaces or recesses 0, made in longitudinal strips d d, while their lower end portions rest within open-sided pockets e 6 upon the dividing-strip f, betweenthe compartments G 0, along the upper side of the central compartment, D, and along the interior of the lower marginal portion of the compartment 0. These pockets 6 e, which are arranged opposite or in line with the scooped-out spaces 0 c, are made by metal strips 9, stamped or cut and with their cut portions bent to form wings h, as more clearly shown in Fig. 5. Said strips 9 are tacked or otherwise secured to their places and form rests as well as-pockets for the bottoms of the vials. They will be found much more durable and stronger, and occupy less space than wooden strips constructed to form pockets, and are very much cheaper. The upper and lower longitudinal margins of the chest-section A have slight incisions t made in their faces, but stopping short of the exterior of the chest, to more readily distinguish the separation of the vials, and to receive labels or printing between them explanatory of the contents of the vials. The central rectangular compartment, D, in the lower chest-section, B, may be used to contain a drop-measure, plasters, a surgical needle, and camel-hair brush, or other articles.

The upper section, A, of the chest is divided by transverse partitions k k Z, and a longitudinal partition, m, into a lower intermediate compartment, E, which may be used to contain mustard-leaves, and two upper intermediate smaller compartments, F F, which may be used to hold a bandage-strip in roll form, and-a Spanish-fly plasterer other arti- The partitions Z and m are made of less cles. depth than the partitions k k, to receive a hand-book of directions over them between the partitions k k, when a lid, G, which car.- ries said hand-book,when open, as hereinafter described, is closed. Upon either side of the compartments E and F F are compartments I I I for vials, said compartments being arranged one above the other and being formed in part of strips at, having scooped-out spaces c c for the necks or upper portions of the vials and foot-pockets and rests e 6, made of or by cut and bent metal strips g, as already described for the construction of the vial-holding compartments of the section B of the chest, incisions i also being made in the faces of the parts to which the strips 9 are tacked for the same purpose as the incisions i in the section B. The lid G is hinged, as at it, along the upper marginal portion of the section A, on its inner side or face, and is secured,when closed, by a hook or other fastening, 0. Upon the outer surface of this lid is pivoted, as at r, a wire or other leg-support, M, made to shut down on the lid G when the latter is closed, and so that it may be secured by a button, 8, or other fastening. This log or leg-support M serves, when the lid G is thrown back or open, as shown in Fig. 4, to support said lid at an angle of forty-five degrees, (more or less) rela tively to the facial surfaces of the chest, to form a convenient inclined reading-stand for the hand-book of directions which instruct as to the use of the contents of the chest. This book may be located on the inside face of the lid by top and bottom guides, a a, the lower one of which forms a foot-rest for the book. Opposite side clips, 0 c, serve also to hold the book when open. The one of these clips, 0 is pivoted to act as a button to facilitate the entry and removal of the book, and to provide for the turning of its leaves. A rubber band may be stretched over the lid to hold the book open, said band being made to engage with notches d d in the end edges of the lid, and, if necessary, to prevent any interference with the reading, being moved from one pair of opposite end notches'to another pair of the same.

When the chest is fully thrown open, as in Figs. 3 and i, and the lid G set inclining in its open position, the whole contents of the chest are exposed to View, with directions for their use when the hand-book is in position on the lid, and there is no necessity to remove one set of contents to get at another. The vials may be variously labeled in different colors or be otherwise distinguished to clearly indicate the poisonous and non-poisonous char acters of their contents, 830. When the chest is fully closed,the vials and other contents are retained from getting out of place or from being injured, no matter in what position the chest is placed. It is fastened, when closed,

by a thumbscrew, N, arranged to work through a box or plate, 0', in the front end of the lower section, B, and hearing by a collar, f, on it against a plate, P, secured to the front end of the upper chest section, A, and having an open-ended slot, in its lower end, so as to straddle the screw N, back of the collar f. This lock or fastening is a simple one'for the purpose, may be easily closed or opened, accordingly as the screw N is turned to the right or left, and always carries its own key, as it were. Such conveniences will be found of great advantage when there is necessity for using the chest quickly.

The locking of theclosed sections is effected by the clamping of the lower slotted end of the plate against the plate 6, while a slight turning in the reverse direction of the screw N admits of the lower slotted end of the plate I? being lifted, along with the raising of the upper chest section, A, from its clip of said screw.

The fastener herein shown and described forms no part of the present invention; but I reserve to myself the right to make an application therefor at some future time.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a medicine-chest composed of upperand lower case-sections, A B, hinged together, as described, the central compartment, D, in the lower section, and longitudinal partitions f, provided, respectively, wit-h open-sided pockets e on their upper surfaces, in combination with the upper and lower compartments, 0 O, for vials of different sizes, the longitudinal partitions d d, having recesses c c in them, and the opensided pockets 6 along the lower inner margins of said sections, thewhole being arranged essentially as shown and de: scribed.

2. In a medicine-chest provided with opensided pocketsafor reception of the lower ends of vials, the combination, with the chest or case sections, of the metal strips g, cut or punched and bent to form wings h, constituting the sides of said pockets, essentially as described.

3. The combination, with the sections A B of the chest, hinged together at one end, of the lid G, hinged to one side of the upper section, A, and the leg-support M, pivoted to the exterior of said lid, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. In a medicine-chest having upper and lower hinged sections, A B, the hinged lid G, provided on its inner face with top and bottom guides or rests, a a, and cleats c c", for retention of a handbook on said lid, in combination with the pivoted leg-support M on the exterior of said lid, essentially as specified.

TERRY J. HUTTON.

Witnesses:

W. J. HOLMES, CHAS. A. NOBLE. 

